“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it,” (Hebrews 13:12, NIV).

This weekend marked the 28th annual Las Olas Art Fair. It was my second time attending the event. The first time was a few years ago. This year, I was astonished by the magnitude of the talent displayed. Most of the artists were locals. However, some had journeyed quite a distance to display their artwork in this local art fair in Downtown, Fort Lauderdale. There were artists from New York, Michigan and several other states. Their sheer commitment made me wonder how many of the artists had actually made a career of their passion.

I spent most of afternoon trying to avoid the crowd. I walked along the sidewalk and admired the displays from a distant. The only time I would step into the streets, and into a booth was if something in particular caught my eye. Occasionally, I would exchange brief pleasantries with the artists. For the most part, most were friendly, with exception of one artist who scoffed at a passerby for taking a picture of his work. Although most of the pieces were beautiful, and some even exceptional, nothing particular had spoken to me, at least not until I was about the exist the Fair. While I must say that it was the artwork that initially lured me in, it was the artist that I found to be far more compelling.

The sculpture in the picture above was crafted by French artist Jim Lewk. Although he was born in France, calling him a Frenchman would be a misnomer. Jim is somewhat of a Renaissance man, having traveled and lived in various parts of the world.

My initial impression of Jim what that he was humble. Had I not taken the time to engage in conversation, I would not have known the talent that lied beneath the artist.

Jim studied at the University of Miami and Florida State University. He also trained in several other venues across Europe. He speaks five languages: English, Russian, German, French and Polish.

For thirty minutes, Jim and I chatted. He told me stories about Vietnam and Nazi, Germany. He also talked about his art. He talked a lot about his art. He was proud of the work he did, and he had every right to be. His work was phenomenal. Additionally, he had what many people lacked. He had courage. He had the courage to pursue his passion. How many of us can say the same?

As I drove home and reflected on my conversation with Jim, I marveled at how much I had learned about him in such a short time. It reminded me how important it was that we connect with each other. In fact, we just never know who we will meet.